Needle-holder for sewing-machines



(No Model.)

F. B. HOPEWELL. .v NEEDLE HOLDER FOR SEWING MACHINES.

No. 599,561. Patented Feb. 22,1898.

NITED STATES EATENT- union.

NEEDLE H OLDER FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 599,561, dated February 22, 1898. I

I Application filed July 2'7, 1896. Serial No. 600,636| (No model.)

T0 on whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK B, HOPEWELL, of Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvementin Needle-Holders for Sewing-Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters and figures on the drawings representing like parts.

In the manufacture of horse-blankets, corsets, boots, and shoes, &c., it is customary to make simultaneously two or more rows ofstitches, and when a portion of the blanket or thing arrives under the needles Where a square corner is to be turned it is customary to remove the work or else turn up out of action all but one of the needles.

I have devised a needle-holder wherein the needle is so held that it may instantly be removed vertically out of operation and be as quickly put down again into working position when the fabric has been turned.

Figure 1' shows, enlarged, part of a needlebar with my improvements added. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows the cover-plate detached. Fig. 4 shows the latch detached, and Fig. 5 shows the needle and its head.

The needle-bar A has attached to it by any suitable screw, as B, a block 0, it having a vertical slot, as c, for each needle to be used, but two such slots being herein shown, the side walls of each slot being shown as offset at c to afford play of a latch or (shown detached 7 in Fig. 4) and-pivoted at a, in the holder. The latch has a finger-piece b, which is screwed into it at its outer edge. The shank'of the said finger-piece is extended through a slot b in a cover-plate b opposite a side notch 6 which may receive said shank when the latch is to be turned aside to remove a latch from a notch d in a head d, to which is attached When sewing is being done, both needles will be held down, as at the left in Fig. 1; but if it is desired to remove a needle vertically out of the fabric and turn the fabric on the other needle, then the operator will engage the finger-piece b and will push aside the latch, it entering the notch c, and then will engage the handpiece d and lift the head and its attached needle into the position shown at the right in Fig. 1, where it will be retained by the latch, the handpiece traveling in the slot b The relative position of the finger-piece b and handpiece d and the former being fixedly pivoted and the latter being movable with the needle-head, renders it extremely convenient to quickly raise and lower the needle with the thumb and finger of one hand. The needle when raised may be lowered instantly simply by shoving it down.

I am aware that it is not new to provide two needles independently movable up and down in their carrier; but no device yet proposed has made possible the extremely quick manipulation which it is one object of my invention to secure.

The needle is held in its raised position by the pressure thereon of the spring-pressed latch and is supported against accidental bending by means of its bearing in the perforated bottom of the slot 0.

This invention is not limited to the exact shape shown for the head of the needle or for the latch, as the same might be materially changed and yet be Within the scope of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The slotted block having a plurality of slots, and latches pivotally mounted in said block, combined with a plurality of needles having each. a notched head and fitted to reciprocate in said slots, said latches entering said notches to lock the needles in fixed position, substantially as described.

2. The slotted block having a plurality of slots, and pivoted latches mounted in said block, combined with a plurality of needles having each a notched head and fitted into said slots, the said latches entering said notches to lock the needles in fixed position,

and springs to move said latches into locking position, substantially as described.

The slotted head, the face-plate having vertical slots With lateral notches, and the ceive the needle, a recess offset at one side of said slot, a latch pivoted in said recess and normally extending within the slot, and a head carrying a needle, said head being automatically held in position by said latch and being provided with a handpiece for manipulatin g it, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK B. HOPEVVELL.

Vitnesses:

GEO. W. GREGORY, MARGARET A. DUNN. 

